§ MR. S. SMITH (Flintshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the Report for the year 1893 of the Head Constable of Liverpool, and to the statement there in that, although during last year 831 houses in that city were convicted as brothels, it, has been found impossible, owing to the inadequacy of the present? law, to render a single owner or agent of such property responsible for its use, or even for its continued use, for immoral purposes; and whether any representations have leached him from the Watch Committee of Liverpool regarding the urgent necessity for an alteration in the law on the subject, if owners and agents who allow their houses to be used for such purposes are to be made amenable; and, if so, whether Her Majesty's Government propose to take immediate steps to remedy the present state of things by the introduction of a Bill on the lines suggested by the authorities at Liverpool or otherwise?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fife, E.My attention has been called to the Report of the Head Constable for Liverpool, and the statements in question as to disorderly houses in that city, and I have received a representation from the Watch Committee, which has received careful consideration; and, after consulting with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, I have come to the conclusion that it is not necessary to legislate on the subject, as, in my opinion, the law is at present sufficient to meet these cases if properly and rigorously administered.